Pyrite Uses

Pyrite is an iron sulfide which is found in abundance on the planet Earth. It boasts of being the most common sulfide minerals found on the planet. The brass-yellow metallic luster of this mineral gives it an appearance which resembles gold to a certain extent, and this very resemblance to gold has earned it the nickname fool's gold in areas where it is quite popular. As far as its uses are concerned, there are quite a few to list but before we move on to the details of these uses let's have a look at its basic properties which make it so useful.

Pyrite Properties

Pyrite is found with other sulfides or oxides in sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks as well as quartz veins and in coal beds. The name 'pyrite' is derived from the Greek word puritēs, meaning 'of fire' or 'in fire'. Its pale brass yellow color and metallic luster gives this mineral its name as well as nickname. Being a crystal, it is opaque in nature. As far as chemical composition is concerned, this mineral is composed of iron sulfide and therefore its formula is FeS₂. The streak or powder color of pyrite ranges between greenish-black to brownish-black and has the typical smell of sulfur. Its associated minerals are quartz, calcite, gold, galena, fluorite, etc. It is so common that it is found in almost all the countries of the world, with countries like Spain, Russia, South Africa having major share of deposits of the same. In the United States, pyrite is found in abundance in Illinois and Missouri.

Pyrite Uses

Even though it is one of the most attractive minerals found on the Earth, it is not considered valuable as it is available in abundance. However, it is quite popular when it comes to jewelry making. Marcasite jewelry - which is made by setting small faceted pieces of pyrite in silver, was quite popular in Victorian Era. Even though its use has declined over the period, it is still used in various parts of the world. Similarly, it was used as a source of ignition in firearms during the 16th and 17th centuries and as a mineral detector in radio receivers during the early 20th century.

Other than its use in ornamental jewelry, pyrite is also used in various industries - the paper industry is perhaps the best example. The sulfur dioxide which is used as a reducing agent in paper industry comes from pyrite. It is also used in production of sulfuric acid. More recently, pyrite has been put forth as an apt material for the development of low cost photovoltaic solar panels owing to the fact that it is inexpensive and found in abundance on the planet. The fact that it is not used as a source of iron even when it contains high percentage of the same may come as a surprise for many. Experts of the field of geology are of the opinion that even though it has not been used as source of iron today, it will become the most important source of iron when primary iron ores such as hematite and magnetite get exhausted some time in the future.

More recently, the use of pyrite mineral has been showing a downward trend, with its major share being restricted to the production of sulfur dioxide (to be eventually used in the paper industry) and sulfuric acid (to be eventually used in the chemical industry.) That being said, the fact that it is high in iron content and its probable use for manufacturing photo-voltaic cells does promise a bright future for it.